Memorial Day

This photo emphasizes that the Pacific Northwest is the singularly most winter-like place in the country. This weekend there were no pitchers of sangria, no barbecues on the deck but instead fires in the fireplace to take the chill off the house and hot cups of coffee throughout the day. Monday did give up a smile with a few hours of sunshine and actual warmth- temperatures in the 60's- so we could make it through the weekend without slitting our throats! Ah- summer in Seattle.

Still, complaining gets us no where and life really is pretty darn good. David and I had a fun mini-vacation in Vancouver- a great way to celebrate the end of 2 weeks of teaching. We stayed at a great bed and breakfast on Granville street and hopped a bus every time we wanted to head to town or out to dinner. It was great not having to confront BC drivers and the weather was very pleasant for walking and enjoying the spring flowers. There were some great meals and some really crazy conversations at the Bed and Breakfast with other visitors!! The Granville Island Market was terrific as it always is. With all that great produce, bread, pastry and fish how is it possible for Canada to have so much bad food? Besides Granville Island, we walked through gardens in bloom and beaches full of strollers and skate boards; all the best of urban weekends.

Now life is back to gardens and looms. I have the vegetables planted in spite of the cool weather. The only thing left to put in is the corn which I will try again only because I have the room. I have and entire flower garden to weed BIG TIME but instead this weekend I created another garden space in the front yard- damn that garden inspiration that said you could start a garden by putting down newspaper and straw then adding soil. Since reading that I have been adding gardens all over the place. This weekend I am putting in a couple of new blueberries and still have one more space to add when I collect more newspaper. (See above for a look at my new garden space -LOL!)

So the summer is starting in Kingston with or without the weather to join us. The chickens all have names now- Little Red, Henny Penny, Cluck, Stew, Ping and Buffy. They are getting big and seem to stay dry and happy in their home.

This week is the first of "no-teaching" time. They just don't pay enough to get me into the classroom the last 2 weeks of school. I will be in Seattle to do some grocery shopping for Barb's shower with Lynne and Anita. Saturday is the wine shower, as the beginning to the month's celebrating of Barb's wedding. June 12 is the day they have set for the actual marriage- pretty exciting. I look forward to being all together on the weekend of June 27 for family insanity. It will be a small dinner group on Sunday and I know there will be thoughtful words spoken by my children. With good luck and health we might even get to fit in a Monday visit to Kyrsa's wine tasting cellar before dispersal. I know it has been a busy month for us all and the summer holds challenges too but I for one will try to write more important in interesting thoughts like the ones I have had recently concerning oil and energy resource distribution through out the world. I know you are all waiting with baited breath for that! Have a great month beginning the summer-

Love,
Mama LLama